Your Right to Know

The Worthington City Council gave its first nod of approval last night toward a
tax-increment-financing district on a proposed development next to the newly remodeled Shops at
Worthington Place.

The first step involves notifying Franklin County, Worthington schools and the mall’s owner,
Worthington Square Venture, which could begin today. The plan would use taxes from the improved
value of the property to fund street upgrades such as planters and brick walkways, bike trails and
other amenities.

The four-story project, by developer Crawford Hoying, could begin construction as early as March
1 and would create 150 apartments, as well as underground parking north and west of the mall. The
size of the apartment units would range from one-bedroom, 700-square-foot units to three-bedroom
models.

“I think it’s a good location because of the proximity of the shops and the office buildings in
that corridor,” said Lynda Bitar, development coordinator. “The target is young professionals and
empty-nesters.”The former James Tavern, at 160 W. Wilson Bridge Rd., also would be in the TIF
district and would be replaced by a 27,000-square-foot building that officials said would be ideal
for office and medical use.

The James site “would provide a ready inventory of quality, attractive space in which new jobs
could locate into Worthington,” according to a memo last week from Jeffry Harris, the city’s
economic-development director, to the city manager.

The apartment project will be discussed by the city’s planning commission on Dec. 13. Traffic
and parking studies have yet to be conducted, said Bitar.

Worthington has calculated revenue to the city of between $70,000 and $100,000 per year from the
tax-increment-financing district, after reimbursing the schools and select county social-services
agencies.

Also at last night’s meeting, the city council agreed to hire Pamela Fox as law director. She
will replace Michael Minister, who will retire at the end of the year. Fox, who worked as Hilliard’s
law director, will be paid $116,000 a year.